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Surrey at War
When England was at war some interesting things happened in the Bookham area.
On the 27th September 1940 A Junkers 88 was spraying (sic) out of control and its mission was well over because it had caught fire.
The people in Dorking and Box Hill had a very good view of what was happening. There were four Germans on the plane and all that anybody could see was smoke, the plane was on fire.
As the Germans all bailed out to save their lives, one of them came down in Bradley Farm and another at Blackbrook and the third near the Norfolk Arms. The fourth, the pilot, was discovered dead near Leatherhead.
The plane was found near the grounds of Folly Farm South Holmwood buried in the ground. The gun that was on the plane was found in the back garden of Mr E S Jones. The tail had come down in Croft Avenue, Dorking. It was later exhibited in a nearby hotel, and £3 was collected which went to the Spitfire fund.
FOOTNOTE: Miss Simpson, whose father owned the nursery where the school is now built, confirmed the above details.
The brass plate from the cockpit with instructions and the tail was taken to the Star & Garter (now the Lincoln Arms) and exhibited. Whereabouts now unknown.